Rich Purse, Diverse Program Pull in Bizzers

Rich Purse, Diverse Program Pull in Bizzers

Article excerpt

The opening film at this year's edition of the Goteborg fest is "Avalon" from Swedish helmer Axel Petersen, a dark tale of how fast things can go wrong when fate takes a turn for the worse.

The film, which picked up the critics award at Toronto last September, is among the eight Scandinavian and Nordic Films competing for the Dragon Award.

"Avalon" tells the story of Janne, a former club promoter whose ambitious plans to turn his life around by opening an exclusive nightclub go awry after a terrible accident for which he's to blame. His increasingly desperate attempts to extricate himself only exacerbate his downward spiral.

Past winners include Lisa Aschan, whose critically acclaimed study of the strange relationship between two teenage girls, "She Monkeys," had its world premiere in Goteborg before achieving success at other fests; and "Let the Right One In," the paranormal thriller that put the spotlight on helmer Tomas Alfredson - whose interpretation of John Ie Carre's "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" has also been internationally popular. …